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8 June 2023

Directa Plus plc

("Directa Plus", the "Group" or the "Company")

New product launched in partnership with Candiani Denim for the textile industry

Partnership to introduce GRAPHITO, a ground-breaking eco-denim textile, marks a milestone in the sustainable fashion industry

Directa Plus (AIM: DCTA), a leading producer and supplier of graphene nanoplatelets based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, today announces the launch of a new product, GRAPHITO, in collaboration with Candiani Denim (Candiani), an international textile producer based in Italy, focused on innovation and sustainability. GRAPHITO is an eco-denim textile and represents a significant advancement in the sustainable fashion industry by addressing denim's environmental impact and extending the lifespan of denim garments.

GRAPHITO comprises of Directa Plus' patented technology, G+® Graphene, which enhances a fabric with antimicrobial and thermal properties, along with Candiani Denim's bio-based polymer, Kitotex®, which replaces liquid plastic (PVA) in textile production processes, making GRAPHITO denim unique and unrivalled. The enhanced properties of the material will see a significant reduction in water usage, energy consumption and carbon emissions of up to 75% in the garment's wash lifecycle, as the material's antibacterial and antiviral properties allows for up to 10 wears per lifecycle. G+® Graphene's thermoregulating properties also make it a cross-seasonal denim fabric. 

The launch of GRAPHITO denim marks a significant milestone in the quest for eco-friendly fashion, offering consumers a premier denim choice that combines style, performance, and a reduced environmental footprint. GRAPHITO denim is launching today in Candiani Denim's flagship store in Milan, Italy.

Candiani was founded in 1938 and has grown to become one of the world's most sustainable denim factories, creating premium fabrics, using eco-friendly techniques. Candiani supplies and partners with some of the world's best known fashion brands, including Hugo Boss, Stella McCartney, and Steve Aoki.

Commenting, Giulio Cesareo, Founder and CEO of Directa Plus, said:

"The sustainable graphene nanoplatelets produced by Directa Plus are designed to bring significant advantages to the environment for the end users and for our industrial partners.

"We are delighted to launch this ground-breaking new product, in partnership with Candiani, to offer consumers a product that addresses the environmental concerns of denim and sustainable fashion, and to prolong the lifespan of a garment. We are also pleased to have achieved this in collaboration with Candiani Denim, showcasing Italy's contribution to sustainable innovation and technology in the global textile industry."

For further information please visit http://www.directa-plus.com/ or contact:

Notes to Editors

Directa Plus (www.directa-plus.com) is one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets. The Company's graphene manufacturing capability uses proprietary patented technology based on a plasma super expansion process. Starting from natural graphite, each step of Directa Plus' production process - expansion, exfoliation and drying - creates graphene-based materials and hybrid graphene materials ready for a variety of uses and available in various forms such as powder, liquid and paste.

This proprietary production process uses a physical process, rather than a chemical process, to process graphite into pristine graphene nanoplatelets, which enables Directa Plus to offer a sustainable, non-toxic product, without unwanted by-products.

Directa Plus' products are made of hybrid graphene materials and graphene nano-platelets. The products (marketed as G+(R)) have multiple applications due to its properties. These G+(R) products can be categorised into various families, with different products being suitable for specific practical applications.

Directa Plus was established in 2005 and is based in Lomazzo (Como, Italy) and has been listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange since May 2016. Directa Plus holds the Green Economy Mark from London Stock Exchange which recognises companies that contribute to the global green economy.